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The Hippo's Missing Link

Posted by michael on from the facts-to-impress-your-children-with dept.

hende_jman writes "Working with French Colleagues, Jean-Renaud Boisserie, a post-doc fellow at UC Berkeley, found fossil and molecular evidence that points to a close relationship between the hippopotamus and aquatic mammals. The hippo's evolution has been a contentious issue in biology and through history it has been associated with many animals such as horses and pigs."

3 of 16 comments (clear)

  1. Is this actually news? by drdanny_orig · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I could swear I read about this in Dawkins' last book, The Ancestor's Tale which came out last year, didn't I?

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    .nosig
  2. The answer was known in 427 BC! by Pi_0's+don't+shower · · Score: 4, Interesting
    The answer has been around since ancient times. Herodotus says, from the article:
    "They [the hippopotami] present the following appearance; four-footed, with cloven hooves like cattle; blunt-nosed; with a horse's mane, visible tusks, a horse's tail and voice; big as the biggest bull. Their hide is so thick that, when it is dried, spearshafts are made of it." (Herodotus, 2.71.1).
    Of course, Aristotle's opinion simply copies Herodotus', leading us to conclude that either these two have never seen a hippopotamus, or evolution happens faster than anyone ever thought!
  3. USPS Weighs In by Guano_Jim · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Fortunately, the United States Postal Service has already published instructions on how to pack a hippo.

    No information on evolutionary history. For that, Dawkins' Ancestor's Tale is highly recommended. Mentions the hippo specifically.

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    3D Printing Tips and Tricks at Zheng3.com